Land Use
Privatized Housing Invades America's Military Bases
Gone are the days of drab cinderblock housing for America's military families. Taking advantage of an initiative passed by Congress in 1996, today's privatized military housing developments are larger and packed with modern amenities.
Post-Housing Bubble New Jersey: Cities Lead in Population Growth
After the bust of the housing market in 2008, a striking reversal of settlement patterns in New Jersey gives cities the lead in population growth over once-booming suburbs and exurbs.
Reclaiming San Francisco's Market Street for Public Space
Following precedents from other cities, San Francisco is looking to redesign its famous Market Street by removing automobiles, creating raised bike lanes, implementing faster transit, and making for a more inviting public space.
'War on Gardens' Spreads Like Weeds Across North America
Sarah Laskow notes the latest battlefronts in the growing 'war on gardens' being perpetrated by cities across North America.
China's Housing Tries to Go Green, but Fails
A so-called "eco-friendly" apartment complex complete with solar panels that derives more than 90% of its energy needs from coal? China struggles to take sustainable development seriously.
New Study Shows the Suburbs at the Cutting Edge of Racial Diversity in America
Diverse suburban neighborhoods now outnumber their central city counterparts two to one. How will increasing (or decreasing) diversity change America's suburban stereotype?
Is Suburban Sprawl Worsening America's Historic Drought?
As the U.S. experiences its worst drought in over half a century, Kaid Benfield questions the connection with the country's suburban growth patterns over that same period.
Will Toronto Choose to Trash its Pioneering Waterfront Master Plan?
An award-winning master plan for Toronto's Lower Don Lands, completed only five years ago by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, may be gutted if the Ford administration has its way, reports Alex Ulam.
NYU Expansion, Trimmed Again, Passes Crucial Vote
Yesterday, the controversial plan to expand New York University's footprint in Greenwich Village over the next 20 years was approved by a City Council committee after last minute negotiations and reductions, reports Joseph Berger.
After Failed Bid to Change Law, Hudson River Park Faces Uncertain Future
With skyrocketing maintenance and repair costs gobbling up the Hudson River Park Trust's reserve fund, the HRPT has been pushing to change the park's enabling legislation to allow a wider variety of development types.
Is Vancouver Ill-Prepared for the Future?
Speaking at a recent Urban Land Institute series organized to discuss Vancouver in 2050, three of the city's former planning directors expressed grave concerns over the city's ability to adequately handle its future growth, reports Jeff Lee.
L.A. Nonprofit Leaves No Bee Behind
John Hoeffel reports on the unwavering efforts of bee enthusiasts to legalize beekeeping in residential areas of Los Angeles.
What's in Store for America's Shopping Malls?
As America's beloved shopping mall enters its "golden years", Emily Badger considers the astounding anti-suburban ethos of its inventor, and what the future has in store for this "over the hill" retail development model.
Sunset Boulevard's Promise Rises in the East
Christopher Hawthorne completes his second installment in an ongoing series examining the transformation of Los Angeles through the lens of its famous boulevards. This entry focuses on the most famous street in the city - Sunset Boulevard.
Why London's Public Spaces Don't Measure Up
The Economist looks at the improvements made to London's public spaces over the last decade, as the city's first elected mayors strove to improve the capital city's environs. So why has the city failed to keep up with its global competitors?
D.C. Unveils Ambitious Eco-District Plans
Upending the adage that nothing gets done in D.C. these days, last week the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) released their long range plans for remaking the Southwest area of the capital, capping two years of intense debate.
As Parklets Bloom, SF Stays True to its Roots
As the number of completed parklets in San Francisco nears three dozen, after debuting only two years ago, "the latest trend in urban placemaking" has entered the planning mainstream without losing its grassroots origins.
Detroit Reveals the Possibilities and Pitfalls of a New Era of Governance
America's fundamental levels of governance are changing, writes Anna Clark in Next American City, who uses examples from Detroit and Cleveland to ascertain what the stakes are when cities cede public sector work to third parties.
Radical Cartography Produces Unlikely Maps and Design Partnerships
Lillian Mathews describes "radical cartography," a movement to highlight, not hide, the process and politics associated with map-making decisions.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie